WILD RIDE (Rafe Cameron x OC) *COMPLETE*

Chapter Twenty-Four (both)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Rafe

"There's something I gotta do first." I tell Alana after straightening myself up and getting rid of all those bullshit baby tears. I know she'll never be fully safe and protected unless Barry gets his money back and I won't let him know I've got 15k in my room back home.

Fuck that.

Alana rolls her eyes for a split moment and then nods her head. "What are you going to do?"

I nod for a moment trying to think of what to tell her. Either I lie and she gets pissed at me or I tell her the truth and she's pissed at me. But we're ride or die for each other and if I lie to her I lose her trust and she could easily run to the cops and put the blame on me.

Pulling her aside to the side of the truck where Barry is out of earshot I hold her by the arms and make her look into my eyes. God, she's got these incredible brown eyes that look like pots of honey in the sunlight.

"You and your friends all were apart of Barry getting robbed, Routledge. He might be chill right now but you didn't hear the way he made threats toward you when he came to me a few days ago. I didn't say anything because I wanted to keep you safe but Alana... I can't let him not have his money. There's a 25k reward for John B-"

"No, Rafe Cameron. You are not turning my brother over just to get some fucking cash. He's still my brother even if I turned my back on him. This is where I draw the line."

I grab her by the jaw. "Alana this is fucking serious. Do you like Barry? Do you like the way he looks at you like he's a lion and you're a half bloody gazelle? He will hurt you in ways unimaginable. Worse than what Luke Maybank did you to- and yes, I heard you when you told my old man about it. Which makes Barry's threat even more sickening. So either I find your brother and turn him in and give Barry the money or you end up..." I sigh. "You end up his toy."

She's rendered silent by my words. Opening her mouth to speak but then stops. Tears stream down her face and I remove my hand from her. Realizing it left a red mark along her skin. The tips of her fingers rise to her face and touch the sensitive spot where I'd grabbed her just a little too hard.

"Alana I'm-"

"I'm assuming this is nothing compared to what Barry will do to me if he doesn't get his money." She says while looking down. Tears dropping to the ground. "I don't know where he could be hiding but... I can go with you."

"What if he has JJ's gun?"

"Do you have yours?"

I shake my head. "But Barry will probably be strapped. Just a heads up."

She sighs. "He's coming too."

Not a question but a statement. By the tone of her voice she's disappointed in me and I can't handle that right now. I can't have her upset with me. So I nod and run my fingers through her hair. Kissing her jawline and toward her ear before I whisper, "The only man who's going to lay a finger on you is me... And maybe it'll be two cause you seem to like it that way."

Chills coat her body and she stifles a moan while nodding.

"Good girl." I take a step back and run my hands through my hair before tapping the hood of the truck. "Take the truck and Barry and I will be on our bikes. Just follow us, alright?"

A silent nod.

"Alana, I love you."

She hesitates until her eyes fall back up on me. "I know.."

I take a step toward her. "Say it back." My chest is thundering and my back has a river of sweat pouring down my spine. "Don't do this to me. Not right now, don't look at me like you hate me and don't- don't look at me like you're disappointed in me. I'm keep you safe, Alana. I'm doing this to protect you and for this family."

Barry comes up from behind me and taps my shoulder. "You ready, Country Club?"

I ignore him. "Alana. Say it back."

Her lip quivers. "I love you too..."

"That's a good girl. Now get in the truck and let's go."

-

Alana

My hands are sliding on the steering wheel and I just keep praying that I'm not going to lose control and crash this fucking thing into a tree. Ward would never trust me to drive one of his vehicles again and Rose would certainly catch some heat since she's the one who gave me the keys in the first place.

Rafe and Barry are at a stop sign and I'm doing my best to keep some distance to not look obvious in case a cop comes around this way. Which by the distant sound of sirens is a guaranteed when and not if.

A banged-up SUV goes by and I immediately recognize it as Kie's car. My heart tightens and I muttered a loud. "Please don't recognize her.." but Rafe calls me and I answer through the Bluetooth on the truck's speakers.

"That's Kie?" He asks.

"Yes." I reply quickly. Knowing I can't lie to him.

"Alright, let's go." He hangs up the phone and the smell of rubber burning comes into the truck as he and Barry take off leaving streaks in the road.

My heart is going to explode with how fast it's beating but I go through my contacts on the screen of the truck and I search for Kie. When I find her name I press the call button but it goes straight to voicemail. I try Pope and same thing. Which brings me to trying to call JJ...

It rings twice but then goes to voicemail.

I'll have to delete my call log at some point incase Rafe goes through my phone which I doubt he would but if he does or Ward does... God, my mind is spinning as fast as the earth right now.

We end up at some run down storage garage. Kie pulls in and her and JJ go into the place. Rafe and Barry park their bikes and wait a moment. Then Rafe comes to my window and taps on it.

I roll the window down and he has that look in his eyes again. That look of violence where nothing will suffice until he gets blood on his hands again and I know it's because he saw JJ walking in there and what happened between them is far from over.

"Keep a watch out for the cops." Rafe tells me. "Pull around to the front if you see one and I'll know to head on out."

"Rafe..." I plead with him. "Don't do this. Whatever it is you're going to do it's not worth it. I can promise you that."

He shakes his head. "This isn't just about John B anymore."

"JJ isn't worth more blood on your hands. Ward can only bail you out so much if you hurt JJ-"

He whips the door open and pulls me out, pressing me against the side of the truck. Pointing in my face and my stomach sinks. "JJ is the reason a fucking rifle was pointed in your face. JJ is the reason Barry thinks you owe him with your own body. JJ is the reason you aren't safe unless you're by my side. This is personal, Routledge. And I can't rest until he gets what's owed to him."

Rafe lets go of me and dusts his shirt off. When he goes to walk away my brain tells me to run by my heart tells me to stay. He's trouble... He's more than the bad boy in romance novels that wears a leather jacket and sometimes cracks a pool stick over someone's head.

Rafe is the six-foot devil-eyed, cool toned, bad boy from the dark romance novels that will beat someone with a chain until they look nothing short of minced meat on the pavement. I should be fucking terrified of him but knowing he's doing this for me?

I call out his name. "Rafe," I sigh and nod to him while trying to catch me breath. He takes a step toward me and lifts a brow. Just like the first time I pull him in and kiss him until he's breathless. "I love you." I say confidently. Because I do. I really fucking love Rafe Cameron.